


The Book

by Avenging_is_My_Day_Job



Series: MCU Reader Fics [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Reader helps Bucky remember, Winter Soldier Program Instructional Book
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:06:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9852965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avenging_is_My_Day_Job/pseuds/Avenging_is_My_Day_Job
Summary: During a mission gone wrong, you help one of your teammates overcome his programming.





	

There was a certain atmosphere that hung about in the hours leading up to a mission. It was laden with the inherent professionalism that came with being on a team of super heroes, and was thick with apprehension of a fight that could easily twist into a disaster.

It was especially tense during travel time. That was when strategies were discussed and plans were determined. 

You were still an official-unofficial member of the team. Until recent months, you had little involvement with the initiative at all, and had only known them after being invited to live in New York by your uncle, Tony.

Just prior to the Battle of New York, he had contacted you about a position at Stark Industries’ NY branch. After careful consideration, you accepted, and only days before you were set to move, the invasion happened. You postponed your trip until debris had been cleared, but still only arrived _after_ the tower had been refurbished to accommodate an entire team of superheroes.

The tower subsequently became the team’s headquarters, and you were able to do your work for the company from the comfort of your own lab.

You trained with the team, helped provide upgrades to their tech and their armor ( _and wholeheartedly agreed that anything Shield issued was prehistoric in comparison_ ), and soon started discussing missions and field work.

There was an AIM outpost upstate, struggling still after the organization’s first defeat three years prior. While the team provided a large enough distraction, you would wait for an opportune moment to go in, find the data banks, and extract everything you could.

As you sat in the quinjet, trying to calm your nerves, you listened to Cap reiterate the plan to everyone and begin to discuss what they knew about AIM and their motives.

Movement in your peripheral vision shifted your focus, and you looked over your shoulder to see Bucky giving you a strange look that you couldn’t discern. When you made eye contact, he looked away again, leaving you confused.

He was a recent addition to the team as well, and had not yet become well acquainted with the others. In fact, once Cap and Sam tracked him down after the DC incident, it had taken weeks to convince him that the tower, and in turn, the team, were safe. He was distant, for sure, and was rarely seen outside of team functions.

Steve was the one who told both you and Tony about the Winter Soldier’s part in Howard and Maria’s deaths. He had offered to leave the tower altogether if having Bucky there would be an issue. But he refused to step away from his friend, and had been determined to help him recover. It was Tony’s decision to let Bucky stay, but it was you who told him why.

_‘If you trust him, then so do I.’_

When the quinjet landed under stealth mode, the others, sans Bruce, departed and you set up your comm to wait for your signal. There were at least fifty known operatives on site, possibly more unaccounted for, and you watched from a holoscreen when one by one, the numbers diminished.

Through your comm, you could hear orders being relayed and the muffled sounds of fighting. One line remained near silent, though, and every word that AIM’s thugs spoke, every sound they made could be heard clearly. Bucky only spoke when directly addressed, and had single handedly taken down at least a dozen operatives on his own so far. The east wing of the building was clear now, but that wasn’t enough.

You switched on your mic. “East side’s clear.”

“ _Copy that, (L/N). Outside’s clear._ ” Clint offered. “ _They’ve got backup coming in from the north._ ”

“Friday, jam their signals so they can’t call more aid.” You noted, and the AI chimed an answer.

“ _Falcon, take care of the ones coming in._ ” You heard Cap say. “ _Hawkeye, make sure no one else gets close to the building._ ”

“ _Guys,_ ” Tony piped in. “ _We got a problem. Barnes is going berserk._ ”

“ _Elaborate, Stark._ ” Cap demanded.

“ _No time, he’s headed our way…_ ”

Static replaced words, and then total silence.

“Friday, talk to me.”

“Communications are non functional.”

“For everyone?!”

“Falcon and Hawkeye are currently preoccupied, but have otherwise functional comm links.”

“Shit,” You muttered, jumping from your seat.

“Is this a Code Green?” Bruce questioned, looking like he was already dreading the answer.

“Not yet.” You said. “Looks like I’m going in early. Are the sedatives still on board?”

“Hold on,” Bruce said, crossing to where the medical supplies were kept. He opened a case and removed what looked like a compact tranquilizer gun, and brought it back to you.

“I don’t want to use this on him.” You said, holstering the gun.

“I know.” Bruce placated. “But if you can’t talk him out of it, you may have to.”

You nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the jet’s bay door. It closed behind you as you made your way toward the small facility, armed only with a pistol, a tranquilizer, and your combat lessons from Nat. You came up to the main doors, and saw Sam in the distance, still occupied with the newcomers. Clint was nowhere to be seen, but that was usually the case on missions like this.

You pushed through the doors, stepping over an unconscious AIM agent who was sprawled in the threshold. You maneuvered through the corridors, only slightly unnerved by the stillness. You managed only a few corners before nearly stumbling over something in the dark. You looked down and let your eyes adjust to the change in light.

No, you almost stumbled over _someone_.

“Tony? What the hell?” The arc reactor that powered the suit was completely dark.

“He disabled the suit, and it’s too heavy to move.” Tony said, proving his point by trying to lift his upper body.

“I’ll be back.” You said, starting to walk away.

“Hey, wait! No, you can’t go after him!” Tony called after you.

Without looking back, you said: “What are you going to do to stop me?”

“This kid never listens to me.” Tony muttered, exasperated. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do, I’ll revoke your lab privileges is what I’ll do.”

“I’m an adult.” You countered, disappearing into another corridor.

The next teammate who you crossed paths with was Cap. And he obviously hadn’t made it out of that confrontation without a scratch. He was bleeding from a nasty gash on his forehead, and was sitting against a wall.

“Just need a minute.” He said. “You need to fall back.”

“Bruce gave me the tranquilizer from the jet. I’m not going to fight him, Cap, just going to calm him down. _You_ need to fall back.”

He tried to protest, but you interrupted him. “If you’re worried, then get back to the jet and get back on comms. And help Tony when you pass him!”

That was four teammates accounted for, and three still missing. You ventured deeper into the facility, on edge and ready to fight with every step you took. Most rooms you passed were either empty or had been vacated once the fighting began, and there wasn’t much for you to recover.

In the center of the building, you found a large room behind a reinforced door. Inside it was pitch black, and all you could see was only highlighted by the dim glow from the corridors behind you. You retrieved a small light from your belt and switched it on, scanning the room.

From what you could see, it was the exact room you were meant to look for, had the mission gone as planned. Data banks lined one wall, silent, as they were all off. Monitors adorned various desks in front of them, each sporting black screens. You set the light down on one of the desks and searched for a button or a switch, anything to turn the machines on so you could finish your part. Nothing was labelled or marked, but as luck would have it, the button that you _did_ find was connected to each machine.

One by one, each monitor lit up, and a quiet, electrical hum filled the room. You stepped back to wait, but became aware of a human shaped shadow cast on the wall from the door way. You turned around, you saw who it was.

It was Bucky, blank faced and battle ready, obscuring the only escape route you had. Momentarily forgetting your secondary task, you sidestepped the desk and relayed your position over the comms. As you moved, and as you spoke, Bucky stepped into the room in intimidating strides, heading straight for you.

Panic gripped your heart, and you backed away, grasping for the tranquilizer gun holstered protectively on your belt. He was in front of you in seconds, and had his right hand on your shoulder as soon as your hand found the grip on the gun. His grip tightened, almost painfully, but before you could act further, he…moved you?

Surprised, you tripped over your own feet and stopped abruptly behind him. A soft shifting sounded from a darkened peninsula of tall filing cabinets and a support pillar. Bucky effortlessly tossed aside one of the cabinets, and the sound of the metal crashing to the floor was accompanied by a startled yelp.

A struggling figure was dragged out of the crawlspace by a metal hand, feet inches above the ground and kicking uselessly. In a split second, the would-be assailant raised his weapon, and then was thrown against the wall.

The room fell silent, and you watched the crumpled form of the AIM operative for a few moments before your focus once again fell upon Bucky.

He was watching you intently, arms at his side’s and unmoving. You thought for a moment and decided that there was no sense in using the tranquilizer if there was no immediate danger.

Silently, he crossed the room and stopped in the doorway again, this time facing out.

Your comm came to life once it was back online with the voices of your teammates speaking over one another.

“One at a time, _please_.” You stressed. 

“ _Did you find him?_ ” Cap questioned.

“ _And more importantly, is he sedated?_ ” Tony added.

“Yes and no,” You said. “I found the data banks, and he’s guarding the door. Do you know what happened?”

“ _One of AIM’s thugs used to work for Hydra._ ” Cap said. “ _He had a book -it was basically a manual- and tried to trigger Bucky’s programming._ ” 

“Tried?” You looked over your shoulder at Bucky, then went back to work on the computers.

“ _We think Bucky tried to fight it._ ”

“Did you find Nat and Wanda?”

“Currently en route from a security bunker at the edge of the parameter. There was a dozen other people waiting for us inside.” Tony replied, and you sighed with relief.

Once you were done downloading and then wiping the computers, you shut them down and approached Bucky, who was still faced away from you. You tentatively reached over to him, and retracted immediately when he turned sharply to face you.

“The mission is over, it’s time to go.” You said.

“Negative. Only mission objective B is complete.” Bucky answered.

 _Shit_. “What’s mission objective A?”

“To protect you, (L/N).”

“Did Tony put you up to this?” You scoffed. His expression didn’t change. “Right. You’re still the Soldier. Well, you can protect me on the way out.”

You slipped past him and started navigating back the way you came with the Winter Soldier practically on your heels, eyeing each unconscious ( _or dead_ ) figure with scrutiny. You made it outside in considerably less time than it took to get in, and saw the rest of the team hovering around the jet. Natasha was closest to you, and once again, you found your path blocked by Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious.

“You can uh…stand down. They’re friends.” You pointed out. “We know them.”

“They have weapons.”

“Did they use them on you? Is that why you fought them?” He nodded sharply.

“Don’t worry about it anymore. I need you to do something for me.” He turned to you. “I need you to fight the programming. Steve has the book and we’re going to help you, but I can’t promise they won’t sedate you until it wears off.”

He nodded again, and attempted to do just so, but you could tell he was struggling.

“I don’t want to be _him_ anymore.” He finally said.

“You don’t have to be…” You started, but he shook his head.

“But I _am_. I am the Winter Soldier.”

“No one will ever control you like that again. Not if we can help it, okay?”

The others were waiting now, and in the distance you could see a caravan of SHIELD emergency response.

“C'mon. Let’s get home.”


End file.
